French maritime authorities have informed British adventurer Karl Bushby that swimming across the English Channel from France to England is not permitted, potentially halting the final leg of his 28-year, 36,000-mile global journey.
Bushby, 57, had previously been denied passage by Eurotunnel, which cited safety and operational constraints for his request to walk through a service tunnel beneath the Channel.
Now, French coastguards have indicated that swimming the crossing is also not allowed. A spokesperson for the French Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre referenced a 2018 prefectoral order, stating that the country "tolerates Channel crossing by swimming only from the UK coast to the French coast." The center has directed Bushby's support team to the Channel and North Sea Maritime Prefecture for further consideration.
"We are talking with the French coastguard," Bushby stated, expressing his hope that an exception could be made. "I would expect it to take two or three days to swim across to the UK."
Bushby set out on his odyssey from Chile in 1998 and has since reached Belgium. His challenge rules prohibit the use of any transport to return to his home city of Hull, East Yorkshire.
He aims to attempt the swim in October, having secured a support boat. "We have secured a support boat for October," Bushby said. He plans to be in France in late September to prepare for the swim, though he remains disappointed by the bureaucratic obstacles.
"I am not angry it has come to this. I am more disappointed. But things could still change. Walking through the service tunnel is still the preferred option," he added.
Bushby has previously undertaken significant aquatic challenges during his expedition. In 2006, he became the first Briton to traverse the Bering Strait, a journey that included swimming across the frozen sea between North America and Russia. In 2024, he completed a 300-kilometer (186-mile) swim across the Caspian Sea to avoid traversing Russia or Iran due to rising global tensions.
The success of the Channel swim remains dependent on approval from French authorities and favorable weather conditions, which Bushby noted is a crucial factor for a successful attempt.